“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single minute before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank
Happiness comes from doing good deeds and sharing your compassion with others. From traveling the world I have found that there are many ways to help the world around you. Beginning with your sharing your kindness is a great start to easily doing something great for others in your life.
- Give someone a genuine compliment. Take the time to compliment a stranger, your colleague, a friend or a loved one. Our days can get so busy that we forget to do the basics such as sharing an authentic and loving compliment to another.
- Offer to pay for someone’s meal.
- Pay it forward. If someone does a good deed for you, do a similar good deed for someone else.
- Help someone with their chores. Your neighbour may need some assistance with basic household tasks due to an injury. Your friend might be overwhelmed these days and would greatly appreciate you taking the time to help her with chores around the house.
- Help someone learn English or a language that you are fluent in. Doing something kind can be as easy as helping someone learn a language. You don’t even have to be a teacher to teach someone your language. Simply taking the time to have a conversation with someone and being patient and helping them along the way is enough to help someone who is trying to learn your language.
- Wish someone a congratulations on an achievement that they have accomplished.
- Refer someone for a job who really deserves it.
- Help update someone’s resume who is struggling to find work.
- Donate to a charity whose cause you support.
- Leave small amounts of cash on the street to brighten up someone’s day.
- Organize a clothing or food drive for a local charity or shelter in your area.
- Donate your clothes to a charitable organization. Keep a look out for any clothing bins in your area where you can drop off clothing or other household items with ease.
- Clean up your home by having a garage sale and donating all the proceeds to charity.
- Make a homemade meal for someone. You can share a meal with someone who for some reason or another cannot make homemade food for themselves. You can also share a nicely cooked meal with a homeless person.
- You can donate to a charity on behalf of someone’s birthday or a holiday gift. Many people would greatly appreciate a gift in the form of a donation to a wonderful charity.
- You can listen to someone who is having a hard time. In our very busy society it is unfortunate that many people do not get our quality time. It’s very difficult for some people to remain present during a conversation. Be kind by listening to someone who really needs someone to talk to.
- Put aside your smartphone. People value your focused attention. If you have the tendency to look at your phone during conversations or respond to texts while spending time with friends, then put the smartphone away. Being kind can start with giving someone your full attention.
- Donate your books. You might have books that are collecting dust on your shelf that others would really love to read. Check out any bookstores or libraries that take used books. Donate your books so that they can be shared with others.
- Doing your part by properly recycling your e-waste, recyclable items and plastics will not only help your community but also the world. There is no reason to add to the existing waste on the planet. Be kind by being a bit kinder to our planet by recycling.
- Give someone a call or send them a card for their birthday. It might be easy to say happy birthday to someone on social media, but take the time to verbally wish someone a happy birthday or send them a handwritten card. This little gesture of kindness can really brighten a loved one’s day.
- If you have technical skills in programming, then consider volunteering to build a website or app for a charity or local business. Charities and local businesses may struggle to get technical help to update their websites through lack of funding. If you don’t have the money to donate to a charity, consider donating your skills.
- Buy food from ethical sources. This requires a bit of research on your part but share your kindness with the world by supporting local businesses who are treating animals and the environment ethically.
- Give a gift to your loved one unexpectedly. Giving spontaneous gifts is a wonderful way to show your love for another and to help improve the quality of your relationship with them.
- Lend your seat on public transport to someone who truly needs it.
- Smile more. Being kind can start with something as simple as smiling and radiating positivity towards others.
- Offer to help someone carry something that looks particularly heavy. You can offer to carry a stroller up a long flight of stairs or help hold the grocery bags an elderly person is trying to carry.
- Be a fitness buddy to someone who is struggling to achieve their personal fitness goals. Sometimes the motivation someone needs is a person who can be their buddy while pursuing their fitness goals.
- Start a fundraiser for someone in need or a charity struggling to get help. Fundraising can seem overwhelming at first, especially if you have little experience with fundraising, but it’s worth it when you really believe in the cause you are supporting and know that your support could help an organization achieve some of their goals.
- Volunteer at a shelter for pets. Animals need our help. Even taking a day out of your week to help volunteer at a shelter is a huge act of kindness. You can assist with cleaning, walking the dogs, playing with the animals, feeding the animals and so forth.
- Provide a blanket and other necessities to a homeless person in need. If you see a homeless person who looks like they really need your help, then have a conversation with them and see if there is any food, clothing or blankets you can provide so that they feel more comfortable.
- Offer to babysit when you know a loved one caring for a child needs time out to themselves or a date night.
- Donate blood.
- If you have very long hair, consider cutting your hair and donating it to a charity.
- Say thank you to anyone providing a service to you. Remember to say thanks to a waiter, hair stylist, retail salesman and so forth. People working in service jobs often deal with stressful and rude customers throughout the day. Help show some kindness by saying how much you appreciate their service to you. That little bit of kindness can help get them through their day.
- As difficult as it may seem right now, show kindness to someone you don’t like. The people who often deserve the most kindness are sometimes people who we may not like at first glance.
- Provide a generous tip for exceptional service. Depending on where you live, good service might be something you take for granted. Give a great tip whenever you can.
- Leave a kind review for a business providing exceptional service. Nowadays you can review pretty much anything from a business to a product. Help encourage local businesses providing excellent service and products by leaving a review on Google, TripAdvisor, Yelp and similar review sites.
- Give someone a hug. When someone you know is going through a really tough time, never underestimate the power of a loving hug.
- Advocate for causes you care about. For example, you can join a protest and invite a friend to join as well. You can start a campaign that helps influence others around you. You can find likeminded people who believe in the cause you want to support and are looking for ways to make a difference in your community.
- Pursue a career that directly gives back to others. You don’t have to be a teacher, doctor or nurse to directly help people either. Look for companies and organizations that are doing wonderful things for the world. See what open positions they have and see if you can make a difference by working for those companies.
- Provide honest and kind feedback to someone new in a role. New hires may struggle to know how the job works or get their training needs met. Do your part by offering your feedback and seeing how you can help them become more successful in their role.
- Send cards to sick children in the hospital.
- Become a pen pal to someone who is elderly. There are often services where you can be a pen pal to someone who is elderly and lonely.
- Become a big brother or sister through the Big Brother Big Sister Foundation.
- Practice forgiveness. Forgive yourself and others for any pain that has been caused.
- Love yourself. Being kinder will feel much easier when you focus on loving, appreciating and valuing yourself. Remember that it’s just as important to be kind and loving to yourself.
- Find volunteer opportunities when you travel. There might be areas where you can drop off food in impoverished areas or be able to provide toys to an orphanage. Even when you are on holiday, you can find ways to give back.
- Practice patience with your loved ones. It can be easy to get stressed by your children or to get annoyed at your parents. Instead, try to relax, take a deep breath and practice patience.
- Share an article, story or photo that you think someone might enjoy. You might make someone laugh or learn something about a topic they love. Either way, people always appreciate that someone is thinking about them enough to share them a story, photo or joke that crosses their path.
- Use electricity wisely. Contribute to being kinder to the environment by minimizing your impact with electricity. Air dry your clothes on a hot day. Turn off your lights when you aren’t in a room. Turn off your computer or keep it on sleep mode when you aren’t using it.
- Invite someone over for dinner or to catch up. It can sometimes be easy to neglect our friendships. Share your kindness by creating time for your loved ones.
- During the holidays, donate toys to children in need who may not receive a gift during this time of the year.
- Ask someone about their weekend. Showing interest in how people are spending their spare time outside of work is a great way to show your kindness.
- Look for the good in another person. You may not be able to get along with everyone, but that shouldn’t stop you from recognizing and appreciating the good in everyone you meet.
- Complain less. Being kind always starts with you, including your actions, habits and thoughts. You might have a negative habit of always complaining which can influence the people around you. Be kinder by choosing to complain less.
- Let go of toxic relationships. Sometimes the kindest thing to do is to walk away from anyone who is consistently hurting you.
- Be brave and stick up for someone who is being treated disrespectfully. Don’t be afraid to stick up for someone who is being bullied.
- Let someone know you care about them. Being kind can start with letting someone you know is hurting and feels alone that you do care about them.
- Get the whole family involved in community service. Particularly around the holidays, there will be opportunities to work in a soup kitchen for the day or other charitable events that the whole family can get involved in.
- Give someone the benefit of the doubt. Nobody is perfect and people make mistakes, even unintentionally. Try to not take offense by everything that people do and give someone your kindness by giving them the benefit of the doubt.
- Call your family. Life gets busy and it may have been weeks, months or even a year since you have talked to your family. I bet your family misses you. Give them a call and show them that even though you are busy, you love them.
- Plan something for the person who always plans everything for others, but forgets to plan for herself. You might have a friend who is always organizing catch ups, birthdays for other people and fun events to get everyone together. These people often go above and beyond for others, but neglect to celebrate their own birthdays and achievements. Do something kind and plan something for this type of friend. You don’t have to do anything crazy, but even organizing a small intimate dinner can be enough to show your friend that you appreciate all her efforts.
- Adopt a pet. If you are ready to own a pet, then I’d strongly suggest adopting. There are so many animals in need of a home at shelters. Help save an animal by adopting them and providing a loving home.
- Consider adopting a child. Adopting a child may not be for everyone, but if your family is open to adoption, then please consider providing your love to a child who desperately needs it.
- Offer to give someone directions if someone looks lost. Even just stop and ask if they need help.
- Hold the elevator for someone.
- Open the door for someone.
- Limit your usage of plastic bags and other plastic products. Next time you go to the store, invest in a reusable bag. Not only are those bags much sturdier but they look nicer too. You are also showing an act of kindness towards the planet by limiting the amount of plastic bags that end up in landfills.
- Donate to charity through a running event or other similar sports. If you love being physically active and participating in events where you get to run, hike, walk or play sports then consider raising money while doing something you love. You also give your loved ones another way to support you by donating through a fundraiser.
- Pick up trash in your community. If you have spare time during the day, wear some gloves and pick up trash or recyclables. You help to clean up your area and ensure waste is disposed properly.
- Act with integrity. Doing the right thing and being honest is a great way to show your kindness. By acting with integrity, you show others respect and demonstrate how important honesty is.
- Help your parents. It doesn’t matter how old you are. There are ways you can help take care of your parents. Do your chores today without your parents asking you. Surprise your mother with flowers. Offer your dad a helping hand around the house. If you have a job, consider gifting your parents something they need around the house. If your parents are older, help them out with finding another place to live, take part in activities to keep them busy during retirement or ask if they would like to babysit the grandchildren this weekend.
- Share your wisdom. There is something you have learned from life. Share that wisdom with others who are eager to learn from you.
- Sponsor a child overseas. Find a reputable organization where you can help sponsor a child to receive food every day or receive an education. Please note that sponsoring a child is a commitment. Only do this if you are willing to continue paying for your child until they are self-sufficient.
- Bring in delicious homecooked foods with your colleagues or schoolmates. In high school I loved bringing doughnuts to class. This was a day brightener. For a couple of years in Sydney I was constantly baking elaborate cakes and bringing them into work. If you find yourself cooking over the weekend, consider bringing in your treats to share with your colleagues.
- Tell your role model how much they have inspired you. You may think your role model knows how much influence they had in your life, but they might not. Let them know how much you appreciate their help.
- Ask someone how you can help today.
- Surprise your partner with a date night that you have planned.
- Be respectful. Even if you disagree with someone’s opinion, take the high road and be respectful of their values and opinions. Kindness can often come in the form of respect and not searching for needless conflict.
- Be on time. Kindness can come in the form of not having people wait on you. People really appreciate when you can be reliable.
- Everyone makes mistakes, including you. Be kind and say you are sorry and genuinely mean it. It can be tough to admit when you have made a mistake but apologizing can be the kindest thing you can do when you mess up.
- Tell someone you love them. Let your parents, friends, partner and family know how much they mean to you.
- Be open to different perspectives. Kindness can happen when you let go of the belief that your way is the only way. Everyone has different journeys in life. Be open-minded about how people choose to live their lives.
- Keep your word. If you promise to do something, then do it.
- Be trustworthy. Avoid gossiping, spreading rumors and telling secrets about others. When someone shares something with you, then be kind and respect that it’s important you maintain their trust and keep that conversation to yourself.
- Share your connections. Blend your friend circles. Introduce people to each other. Be kind and allow your friends to meet your other friends. Most likely they might meet someone who they like as a friend, romantically or even discover a work opportunity out of it.
- Be a mentor to someone.
- If someone is struggling for work, provide jobs that they can do around the house for a small income.
- When you see someone struggling, talk to them. Don’t be afraid to ask them why they are hurting and how you can help. You might save someone’s life by being there for them during a rough time.
- Contact the authorities if you see someone in trouble. If you strongly suspect someone is in danger, then do what you can to help. Don’t ignore what is happening or assume someone else will manage it. Get involved if you feel like someone is in danger by contacting the authorities who can help.
- Plant a tree.’
- Offer to take photographs of tourists who seem like they are struggling to get a good picture on their own.
- Be a stem cell donor.
- Avoid talking and texting while driving. I realize that you may think that phone call or text message is important but you risk your life and the lives of others by taking that risk. Put the phone away. You can get to that call or message later.
- Give someone a call or send an email to someone you have not spoken with in months or years. That small gesture could mean the world to someone.
- Educate yourself. Keep learning about the world and focusing on the facts rather than opinions. Through your own personal education you can continue to learn and share your knowledge with others.
- Share your personal struggles and vulnerability. Vulnerability is one of the things that really connects us to others. I know it can be tough to open up to another person, but your story could be the thing that someone needs to hear right now.
- Give more than you take.
- Share the good experiences and stories you witness. Everyone loves an inspiring and positive story. If you witness something beautiful, then share it with others.
- If you are remodelling your home, then consider going green.
- Grow your own garden. Be kinder to the planet by starting your own garden where you can grow vegetables, herbs and fruits. Not only is gardening a fun way to help the planet, but you also save tons of money over the long run.
- Develop closer relationships with others. There is always an opportunity to learn more about the people you interact with. Show your kindness by being interested and nourishing the relationships in your life.
- Choose your battles wisely. Being kind can involve not picking fights every time there is a conflict.
- Be authentic. Life is too short to be someone you aren’t. Be kind to yourself and others by being the wonderful and amazing person that you are. No need to fake it. Just be you.
- Be encouraging. Many people need your support and encouragement. Be kind by being encouraging.
You can leave a positive mark on society so start today! You don’t have to do much to be a kinder person.